news Archives

This district’s STEM “space station” is a growing YouTube hit

June 1, 2026 by Peter Carafano, PhD, River City Science Academy

What happens when district-created STEM instructional media, Spacegate, succeeds both in classrooms and in open digital spaces?

A fictional space station orbiting the moon is turning into a real-world digital success story. Spacegate Station, a STEM series created in 2022 by Duval County Public School…

Curriculum & Assessment

Finding the “low way”: Reclaiming creativity in schools

May 28, 2026 by Joel Kupperstein, Project Lead The Way

Assessment and accountability matter, but we also need space for creativity that allows students to explore, revise, and discover.

When my daughter was little, every time we climbed into the car, she’d look up and ask, “Are we going to take the low way?”

School Library Innovations

Demonstrating impact with data: How librarians can make the case for increased funding

May 21, 2026 by Jennifer Miller, @MeetMeInTheMediaCenter

After years of spending all their time on smartphone screens, today’s students are heading back to the school library for a range of reasons.

Libraries are more than a quiet corner of school where students can pick up a book now and then--they are vibrant learning environments that support classroom curriculum, spark…

Emergency Planning & Response

How comprehensive school safety planning protected our teachers and students

May 19, 2026 by Gregory Vaughn, S.L. Mason Elementary School, Valdosta City Schools

Why in-building coverage is a lifeline for school safety

When people outside of education talk about comprehensive school safety planning, it can sometimes sound theoretical: a checklist of protocols or a compliance exercise.

Classroom Management

Building a better bridge: Prioritizing infrastructure in a pre-K expansion

May 15, 2026 by Jamee Herbert, BridgeCare

Expanding access to early childhood education will require more than funding--it demands a modern, agile pre-K system.

New York is currently standing at a historic crossroads. With a rare alignment of executive leadership in Albany and NYC and a tireless advocacy community, the state is…

AI in Education

In a new survey, AI scores high as a math learning tool

May 12, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

$Sixty-eight percent of surveyed students say they turn to AI tools for math assignments or exams when they need extra help.$

AI plays a supportive educational role for nearly 70 percent of top-performing math students asked about their study habits, according to a new survey.

Teaching Trends

Why so many students struggle in math before learning even begins

May 6, 2026May 6, 2026 by Nigel Nisbet, Mind Education

$Aligning math learning and math instruction with how the brain learns opens access for every student to achieve success.$

In mathematics education, we have long relied on a familiar sequence: introduce vocabulary, demonstrate procedures, and assign practice. For some students, this works well enough.

AI in Education

When AI means something different in every classroom

May 5, 2026 by Alex Luciano, Bilingual Second Grade Teacher, Central Islip, NY

AI is already in the classroom--will we give it a place that makes sense for teaching and learning as the technology evolves?

In many schools, AI is being handled through individual teacher decisions rather than a shared structure. That makes sense in the short term. Teachers are responding in real…

District Management

What it takes to build teacher confidence in math: 4 lessons for district leaders

May 4, 2026May 4, 2026 by Olivia Paris, Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit 19

$As teacher confidence grows, the way that math feels in the classroom begins to shift and evolves into a move positive experience.$

After 20 years teaching high school math, I thought I understood why students struggled. Then I sat in my first professional learning session focused on early math and…

Student Data Security

The hidden cost of fragmented student data in K–12 schools

May 1, 2026 by Aruna Adoor, SchoolCues

Addressing fragmented student data is not just an operational improvement--it directly impacts the school-home connection

In many K–12 schools today, fragmented student data has quietly become one of the most significant barriers to effective decision-making and day-to-day operations. While digital tools have expanded…

Teaching Trends

The 4 keys to creating meaningful student-led inquiry

April 30, 2026 by Cory Kavanagh, Van Andel Institute for Education

Inquiry-based learning can feel overwhelming, but it is very possible to establish student-led inquiry in the classroom.

Does the thought of student-led inquiry make you nervous? For some teachers, handing over control of the classroom to their students sounds like an invitation for disaster.

AI in Education

When AI does the work, who does the learning?

April 28, 2026 by Christian Pantel, D2L

If we design AI systems that shortcut the learning process, we risk undermining the very purpose and value of education.

AI is rapidly reshaping education, but not always in ways that support learning. A growing number of AI tools promise to “help” students by doing assignments, writing papers,…

Literacy

5 ways to make reading click for teens

April 23, 2026 by Carey Sweet, The Reading League Florida Chapter

Five classroom-tested approaches that make reading engaging, relevant and sustainable for teens and middle school students.

Reading is competing for attention in a world built for scrolling. A recent University of Florida study found that the share of Americans who read for pleasure on…

Student Well-Being

Why students disengage before they fall behind

April 21, 2026 by Lynna Martinez-Khalilian

The belonging gap emerges when students experience school as a place where they’re not fully known, seen, or valued for who they are.

I once met a student who had attended three different schools before arriving at mine. His parents described him in familiar terms: quiet, disengaged, unmotivated.

Featured on eSchool News

A new need-to-know for the AI classroom

April 17, 2026April 10, 2026 by ESchool Media Contributors

In an AI-rich classroom where ideas are abundant and answers are cheap, the scarce resource is not information--it is ownership.

Most project-based learning workshops are built around three domains: design, assessment, and implementation.

Curriculum & Assessment

It’s time to rewrite math standards for the future–and to stop expecting AI to do it for us

April 12, 2026April 9, 2026 by Jill Diniz & James Tanton, SmartWithIt

$As we look ahead and begin to redefine math education, one thing is abundantly clear: AI won’t fix bad pedagogy.$

While nearly every industry is racing to integrate artificial intelligence, most schools are still teaching high school math the way it’s been done for decades--rooted in instructional material…

College and Career Readiness

Career readiness starts with a critical, undertaught skill: Decision Education

April 8, 2026 by Mary Call Blanusa, the Alliance for Decision Education

New workforce research shows decision education is one of the most sought-after skills in an AI-driven economy.

In other words, while technology can generate information and automate tasks, people still need to evaluate options, weigh tradeoffs, and determine what to do next. These are decision-making…

District Management

Sustainable change starts with educator voice

April 6, 2026 by Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester

When educator voice helps shape the work of their schools, change becomes a shared commitment to better outcomes for students.

School leaders everywhere are working to implement change--new initiatives, new instructional frameworks, new technologies, new approaches to student support.

AI in Education

Building AI for kids: A developer’s guide to age-appropriate safety architecture

March 26, 2026 by Robin Singhvi, Gramms AI

Building AI apps and products for kids isn’t harder than building them for adults—but it does carry different considerations.

When I shipped Gramms AI to the App Store, I ran straight into a question that every developer building for kids will eventually face: What does “age-appropriate” actually…

Student Well-Being

Taking a deeper look at students’ well-being

March 24, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

A new analysis reveals quiet but meaningful improvements in student well-being, behavior, and connection--despite ongoing academic challenges

The dominant narrative around today’s students is bleak: declining test scores, post-pandemic learning loss, and widespread concerns about student behavior and mental health.

K-12 Cybersecurity

Why digital resilience is critical for U.S. K-12 schools

March 23, 2026 by James Griffin, CyberSentriq

Education depends on stability--in a digital-first environment, that stability increasingly rests on cyber resilience.

While prevention remains essential, 2025 has reinforced a hard lesson for district leaders: it’s not a question of if a cyber incident will occur, but how prepared a…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Boosting student engagement on World Math Day

March 20, 2026 by Sheila Robitaille, Educator and Administrator

$World Math Day builds lesson practice in a gaming environment and is very effective in helping students build a love for learning.$

If you’re feeling a bit sluggish (rightly so), most likely your students are. It may not feel like they are the prime audience for learning about multiplication, division,…

Literacy

From fragmentation to fidelity: How Wayne-Westland built a literacy system that works

March 16, 2026 by Nancy Schulz, Wayne-Westland Community School District

Proper diagnostics create a foundation to help close the literacy gap and drive measurable outcomes for all students.

On the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about one in four fourth graders in Michigan scored at or above proficiency in reading--a stark reminder that too…

College and Career Readiness

Where traditional education falls short in an increasingly digital world

March 13, 2026 by Ed Kim, Code Ninjas

Teaching students essential technology skills at an early age ensures that they master critical thinking skills for the future of work.

Traditional education models rely on providing rigid pathways for students to follow. They learn a particular way to solve problems and focus on achieving specific outcomes, rather than…

AI in Education

The AI-resistant classroom is a myth: Designing assessments that assume AI is present

March 12, 2026 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

The goal is not to eliminate AI from the classroom; the goal is to ensure that human thinking remains central.

Artificial intelligence is no longer approaching the classroom--it is already embedded in it. Students are using generative tools to brainstorm, summarize, translate, draft, and revise.

Digital Learning Tools

5 keys to turn escape rooms into classroom inspiration

March 12, 2026March 10, 2026 by Michael Grieb, Van Andel Institute for Education

Using the Engineering Design Process and Process of Scientific Inquiry can help educators design educational escape rooms that are meaningful.

Have you ever been to an escape room? For those unfamiliar with the term, an escape room is a structured, problem-solving experience where participants are locked in a…

Digital Learning Tools

As classrooms go digital, are educators ready?

March 9, 2026 by Emma B. Kassan, Sy Doan, and Julia H. Kaufman, RAND

Educators can develop best practices that ensure digital learning fulfills its promise rather than amplifies its problems.

Today, about 80 percent of K–12 students use computers or tablets at school--up from about 50 percent before the pandemic. Even as parents worry about too much “screen…

District Management

When it comes to student attendance, are districts measuring the wrong thing?

March 6, 2026 by George Philhower, Ed.D., Eastern Hancock Schools

As the pressure to improve student attendance mounts, it’s silencing the alarm that kids are still struggling once they return to classrooms.

Across the country, schools are raising alarms about chronic absenteeism. News stories highlight rising numbers of missed days, legislators are demanding answers from districts, and educators are feeling…

AI in Education

Nearly half of high school students now use AI in college search

March 4, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

A new survey of high school students finds AI has growing influence on whether students go to college, where they apply, and what they study.

AI is transforming the way students discover, evaluate, and choose colleges, according to a national survey of more than 5,000 high school students conducted by education company EAB.

ELL

The biliteracy advantage: How heritage languages boost English proficiency and workforce readiness

March 2, 2026 by José Viana, Ed.D., Lexia

Embracing multilingual learners cultivates the next generation of confident, literate, and globally ready citizens.

In just one academic year, Marietta City Schools in Georgia saw the percentage of elementary English learners (ELs) working in or above grade level rocket from 11 percent…

Emergency Planning & Response

How location precision enhances safety and reduces response times in emergencies

February 24, 2026 by Peter Crosbie, CENTEGIX

Effective responses during school emergencies depend on knowing how to get to the right place at the right time and with the right resources.

In emergencies, time is the most valuable resource--and it’s often the one in shortest supply. Whether a medical crisis, fire, or security threat, the difference between a quick…

AI in Education

AI didn’t break homework: It exposed what was already broken

February 23, 2026 by Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor

In an AI era where homework can be generated instantly, the most valuable evidence of learning is human reasoning behind the finished product

Who among us has never copied a homework answer in a hurry? Borrowed a friend’s paragraph? Accepted a parent’s “small correction” that eventually became a full rewrite?

District Management

A smarter way to modernize aging school facilities

February 20, 2026 by Brett Taylor, Mooring USA

A practical framework for education leaders to prioritize safety, resilience, and continuity when upgrading aging school facilities.

School buildings quietly shape everything that happens inside them. When systems work as intended, learning moves forward uninterrupted. When they fail, instruction, safety, and trust can unravel quickly.

Literacy

Why schools and public libraries must unite–in summer and all year long

February 19, 2026February 19, 2026 by Britten Follett, Follett Content Solutions

When schools and public libraries work together, they don’t just promote summer reading--they nurture lifelong readers.

Some of the most effective literacy ecosystems today are those where schools and public libraries work not in parallel, but in partnership with parents and students.

Edtech Trends

New CoSN report underscores importance of intentional, reliable edtech use

February 16, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Strength, creativity and humanity of educators and IT leaders will be the driving forces behind true edtech innovation

A purposeful commitment to responsible edtech use--and to professional development for teachers--is necessary to ensure edtech is innovative and transformational, according to CoSN's annual 2026 Driving K-12 Innovation…

Literacy

A quicker climb up the literacy mountain: Why rigor and efficiency matter in early reading

February 12, 2026 by Leah Ruesink, Early Literacy Coach

In early reading, first graders who are behind have an 88 percent chance of still being behind in fourth grade--rigor and efficiency are key.

In early literacy, the goal is simple but urgent: Help students become independent readers and writers. Every instructional decision we make either moves them closer to that goal…

Literacy

What’s in and out in literacy instruction for 2026

February 11, 2026 by Stacy Hurst, Reading Horizons

The conversation around literacy instruction has reached a turning point. After decades of debate, we're finally seeing a broad consensus around evidence-based practices--but the challenge now is moving…

Literacy

5 high-frequency and irregular word teaching strategies rooted in the Science of Reading

February 10, 2026 by Kendall Stallings, Fairfield County (CT) Kindergarten Teacher

When it comes to teaching, educators can move beyond memorization and equip students with the tools they need for fluent, confident reading.

When students learn to read in the early elementary years, developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and blending typically take priority. Another essential component of fluent reading, however, is…

AI in Education

New research challenges fears about AI in the classroom

February 5, 2026 by Staff and wire services reports

A new analysis shows AI in the classroom is most often used to promote reasoning, analysis, and evaluation rather than answer-getting.

Rather than replacing student thinking, when teachers design and guide AI experiences, the technology is most often used to deepen critical thinking and strengthen instruction

Student Well-Being

How early cognitive training leads to lifelong brain strength

February 4, 2026 by Dominick Fedele, Mastermind

Cognitive training can help improve student engagement and performance, while building a foundation for robust brain health in the future.

As we continue to make strides in understanding the brain--its strengths and weaknesses, how it develops, and its incredible potential--one idea has continued to strike conversation: the profound…

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